Health Risks Associated with a Low Body Fat Percentage

Having a low body fat percentage can produce health risks because it prevents the cardiovascular system’s ability to function normally. Nowadays, plenty of people are trying to do whatever they can to lose fat, without considering the problems which can affect their bodies. Today, we will teach you about the health risks associated with a low body fat percentage.

The heart problems

Some researchers have found that weight loss can cause cardiovascular diseases. This is a phenomenon faced by most women who try to keep a strict diet to lose weight. There are people who keep diet two to three weeks and burn a big number of calories, but they don’t know that after they finish the diet the risk to gain weight back is bigger. Moreover, some specialists show that diets reduce the ”good” cholesterol which has the ability to protect the arteries. Usually, when people are starving, the body is accustomed to certain regime and it reduces the energy consumption.

This means that your body learns to function at a slower pace, saving energy. However, when it receives normal food again, it is not able to resume immediately the energy consumption, so you can start to gain more weight after every weight loss. Undoubtedly, due to this weight variation, you will have heart issues.

The muscle problems

You should know that when you are performing a workout, your body will run out of carbohydrates for energy, and will turn to fat as an energy source. As such, if you don;t have any fat available for energy, your performance can suffer significantly. Moreover, if you have a low body fat percentage, your muscles won’t recover from the exercises. If your body fat percentage is too low, the same happens with your levels of glycogen. Actually, the glycogen helps your body recover from any intense workout.

The immune system problems

If you are thinking about keeping a diet, you should know that a low body fat percentage and energy intake often correlates with higher cortisol levels which affect your immune function. Most people use moderate exercise to expend energy for weight loss. Moreover, by performing a moderate workout you will experience fewer respiratory issues and you will notice a shorter duration of illness. On the other hand, the extreme exercise may lower your immune functioning. For example, the Olympians who are doing vigorous workouts have a lower resistance to upper respiratory tract infections. Furthermore, they report many periods with colds and sore throats.

The skin problems

Everybody knows that low body fat percentage affects your skin. Wrinkles and lines seem deeper and your skin starts sagging. People who experienced weight loss resort to plastic surgeries which can help everyone looks healthier and younger. Moreover, you need to know that frequent weight fluctuations have a negative effect on the skin and destroy its elasticity. On the other hand, if you are thinking about keeping a diet you should consider to eat a lot of water-storing carbs, because if you are dehydrated your skin become splotchy and dry.